An elegant, pristinely conditioned 1933 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron CL earned “Best of Show” honors at the 64th annual Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance, held July 21st. Showcasing excellence in automotive design and engineering, the event was highlighted by record attendance and the display of more than 200 treasured vintage and classic cars and motorcycles.
“This year’s concours featured the most diverse selection of exceptionally rare, priceless and unique vehicles in our event’s history,” said Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance Chairman Richard Kelaita. “With competition at its peak, our judges determined that this beautiful Chrysler truly represented the very finest from an extraordinary field of entries.”
Founded in 1956, the world’s longest continuously running Concours, presents exceptionally rare automobiles spanning virtually every genre and marque, from hot rods and muscle cars to sports cars, motorcycles and elegant classic luxury models in a magnificent setting on the 18thfairway of the Crystal Springs golf course.
Chosen by a panel of experts from the international collector car world, the “Best of Show”-the winning 1933 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron CL was a pride of passion for its owners, Lorenzo and Susan Nannini of Colma, California. “Closed cars rarely win top honors, especially when the field was as competitive as it was on Sunday,” said Mr. Nannini, “We bought the car back in 2015 and spent a year restoring it. The exceptional work of our restorer, Martin Hveem, attests to the car’s true beauty and distinction.”
Highlights of the show included a robust “Preservation Class” featuring 14 exceptional examples of unrestored cars, and the “Evolution of Speed” display which showcased 10 of the fastest cars of the last century by decade, ranging from a 1903 Mercedes Simplex from the Arturo Keller Collection and culminating with a 1997 McLaren F1 owned by Larry Bowman.
The Concours capped a memorable weekend of festivities that started on Friday with the annually sold out Kick-Off party, which this year featured guest, Porsche racer and restorer Bruce Canepa. That was followed by Saturday’s Hillsborough Tour d’Elegance,a road rally along the Bay Area’s most stunning back roads and scenic vistas led by police escort finishing at a private estate in Hillsborough for lunch.
In recognition of the German brand’s extraordinary contributions to sports car design and precision engineering, the concours selected Porsche as its featured marque for 2019. Attendees – from Porschephiles to casual enthusiasts – were treated to a stunning collection, led by the internationally acclaimed 917K which took the checkered flag at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1970. That prized racer was among a collection of rare Porsches from the private collection of Bruce Canepa. Additional Porsches from Canepa included a 917/10, 935, 962, 959SC and a 918 Spyder.
List of Award-Winners
Best of Show: 1933 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron CL
American Pre-War 1925 – 1946 | 1939 Ford Deluxe 2-Door Sedan |
American Post-War 1947-87 | 1952 GMC PM152-22 |
American Muscle Cars 1964-1973 | 1968 Shelby GT500 KR |
American Sports Cars Through 1987 | 1966 Shelby GT350 |
Arcane and Rare Through 1987 | 1959 Porsche 408 Tractor |
CCCA Approved Classics-Closed | 1933 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron CL |
CCCA Approved Classics-Open | 1940 BMW 335 Cabriolet |
Exotics through 1987 | 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 |
Ferrari Class 1 (12 Cylinders) Through 2006 | 2000 Ferrari 550 Maranello |
Ferrari Class 2 (6/8 Cylinders) Through 2006 | 2006 Ferrari F430 Spider |
Imported Passngr & Touring Cars Through ’64 | 1951 Alfa Romeo 1900C Sprint |
Imported Passngr & Touring Cars ‘65 – ’87 | 1967 BMW 1600 |
Imported Sports Cars Through 1964 | 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic |
Imported Sports Cars 1965 – 1987 | 1967 Fiat Dino |
Kid’s Choice Award | 1961 Beatnik Bandit |
Owner’s Choice Award | 1958 Porsche Speedster |
People’s Choice Award | 1959 Ferrari California Spider 250 LWB |
Porsche 356 | 1955 Porsche 356 Cabriolet |
Porsche 911/912/930/959 Air Cooled | 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo |
Porsche Recent Classics | 1981 Porsche 928 |
Porsche Racing | 2004 Porsche GT3 Cup RS |
Preservation Through 1975 | 1967 Jaguar XKE Series 1 Coupe |
Rolls-Royce and Bentley Pre-War | 1928 Bentley 4.5 Liter |
Rolls-Royce and Bentley Post-War | 1954 Bentley R Type |
Vintage Hot Rods | |
Vintage Motorcycles | |
Vintage Racecars | 1970 TRC Ti 22 MkII |
The event raised proceeds for Autism Speaks, The Guardsmen, Gatepath and the Hillsborough Schools Foundation.
For more information, please visit www.HillsboroughConcours.com
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